By Zephyria 
Once Choi Hwan became certain that the man wasn’t one of his fans, he threw manners out the window. He glared fiercely, and while the other man shrank back, he continued to prattle on as if he simply could not tolerate such an absurdity.
“It’s not that I have some personal grudge or am saying this for no reason. Please, Flower Name Bearer Choi Hwan, recognize my loyalty to Cult Leader Yeom Cheon-ho.”
The man, sounding agitated as if he were angry, raised his voice in an outpouring of emotion. Naturally, Choi Hwan couldn’t care less about loyalty to Yeom Cheon-ho or whatever. Since Lee Yeon-rok was the only thing that mattered, his nerves were on edge, wondering what nonsense the man was about to spout.
“How could I possibly hold a grudge against someone as famous as you, Flower Name Bearer Choi Hwan? I believe Flower Name Bearer Moon Gyeon-woo is also a fitting match for Cult Leader Yeom Cheon-ho’s status.”
Only then did Choi Hwan realize what the eyes of a fanatic looked like. They were eyes glazed with a clear, eerie light, consumed by a strange conviction.
“But isn’t Flower Name Bearer Lee Yeon-rok a bit… lacking in grade? Aside from his face, he’s not particularly remarkable…”
Feeling as if he had been hit in the back of the head with a hammer, Choi Hwan responded blankly.
“What?”
“Not all people are equal. Naturally, wouldn’t the same apply to the Cult Leader’s precious Flower Name Bearers? I am saying that there are upper and lower classes.”
Only then did Choi Hwan recall the doctrines of this pseudo-cult. These were people who believed in concepts that ran counter to modern democratic society. To look up to those chosen by heaven meant, in effect, that a hierarchy existed among humans. As the shock wore off, an unbearable rage began to surge.
“However, the sincere advice of a mere believer like myself rarely reaches those in high positions, which is why I am asking you, Flower Name Bearer Choi Hwan, to deliver the message. I truly hope Flower Name Bearer Lee Yeon-rok reflects upon himself and adopts a humble attitude…”
“You little shit, you think just because your mouth is open you can spout whatever you want?”
An unusual surge of anger blinded him. When Choi Hwan violently grabbed the man by the collar, the other finally seemed to grasp the situation and shut his mouth. The look of unfairness on his face—believing he had only acted for the sake of Yeom Cheon-ho only for the man’s Flower Name Bearer to get angry—was unbearably disgusting. Unable to hold back, Choi Hwan raised his clenched fist.
“Hwan-ah! No!”
Just before the punch landed, someone rushed over and clung to his arm. The moment their skin touched, he instinctively knew it was his name partner. Feeling the warmth, Choi Hwan regained his senses and barely managed to relax his arm. At that moment, Kim Hyeon-seo scurried away like a frightened rat.
“What happened? What did that man say to make you like this?”
With a look of deep concern, Yeon-rok held onto Hwan’s arm almost as if embracing it to calm him down. While Yeon-rok’s bodyguards stood by Choi Hwan, ready for any sudden escalation, they glared intently at the fleeing believer.
“That bastard, to me…”
The words wouldn’t come easily. As his head cooled, he realized why he had reacted with such explosive anger. It was because he saw his past self in the other man. The strength slowly drained from his body. With his shoulders slumped, Choi Hwan apologized weakly.
“I’m sorry, Yeon-rok-ah.”
Thinking Choi Hwan was apologizing for causing a scene, Yeon-rok patted his shoulder. It was a tender and soft touch, but Choi Hwan’s mood sank even further.
“It’s okay. There are just some people in life who are exceptionally aggravating. I know that feeling well.”
“…”
“Still, let’s try not to swing fists if possible. What would happen if someone reported you to the police? You’re a celebrity, after all.”
You know that feeling well? Then, when you heard that you weren’t of the right grade for me, when I looked down on you… were you as angry then as I am now? What made my past self think I was so great that I could ignore you?
Choi Hwan retraced the words and actions he had taken until now. And for the first time, he felt ashamed.
“Hwan-ah. Are you sick somewhere?”
Jo Jun-ho asked cautiously, examining his actor from head to toe. Choi Hwan, who had been sitting askew with his chin resting on his hand, pushed his Manager away with an annoyed expression.
“I’m not sick. You’re annoying. Go away.”
However, even to Yeon-rok, Choi Hwan’s condition was genuinely worrying. Ever since the confrontation with the Hwamyeong Cult believer a while ago, Choi Hwan had been strangely depressed. His usual fickle and playful demeanor had vanished, replaced by a tendency to sit still and fall deep into thought. Honestly, it was unfamiliar.
“Are you perhaps feeling a bit depressed? Should you and Hyung go get some counseling?”
“Ugh, I said I’m really fine.”
Choi Hwan snapped and moved away. Though, in reality, he had only moved from the right side of Yeon-rok to the left. Feeling anxious, Yeon-rok asked cautiously.
“Shall we go shopping?”
“Well, sure, why not.”
But hearing that answer only increased the worry for Yeon-rok and the Manager. Normally, Choi Hwan would have been jumping for joy, immediately plotting what to buy, but now he was lukewarm. Even after arriving at the department store, he spent most of his time focusing only on buying things for Yeon-rok. Jo Jun-ho’s complexion grew pale in tandem.
“My boy isn’t like this. Just who the hell picked a fight with him and how, to make him this way?”
“I’ll keep a close eye on him for now, Hyung.”
Yeon-rok reassured him, but a moment later, Jo Jun-ho’s face turned even whiter. Choi Hwan had looked his Manager up and down, picked out a few pieces of clothing, and gifted them to him.
“Hyung, just because you’re getting older doesn’t mean you should dress shabbily. Take better care of how you dress.”
Now, even Yeon-rok was aghast. Choi Hwan was a man who lived so self-centrically that he didn’t even show interest in the people around him, let alone consider them. And yet, he was providing clothes without Yeon-rok asking and without it being the Manager’s birthday!
Sensing the severity of the situation, Yeon-rok grabbed Choi Hwan for a conversation as soon as they returned home.
“Hwan-ah, are you really okay? It is because that person said something mean, isn’t it?”
By this point, Yeon-rok was quite angry too. Just what kind of harsh words were spoken to make a man who was like a wild colt—whose flaw was also his strength—so disheartened? If he encountered that man again, he would tear him apart. In a rare, calm atmosphere, Choi Hwan slowly shook his head.
“It’s not because of that person. That’s separate. I just started thinking that I haven’t exactly lived a good life until now.”
Yeon-rok covered his mouth, screaming silently. Since when did he start saying such mature things? He couldn’t even fathom how serious the situation was. Seeing this, Choi Hwan slightly furrowed his well-groomed eyebrows and chuckled softly.
“What? I have my serious moments too. …Is it that strange?”
He then ruffled his hair slightly, as if embarrassed. He looked so unfamiliar that Yeon-rok swallowed hard. His heart fluttered for no reason. He had a face that deserved a high score for handsomeness even while doing nothing, but he had subtracted all those points with his behavior… Now that he stopped doing that, the surge of emotion was almost overwhelming. Jo Jun-ho, seeing Choi Hwan like this, seemed to have similar thoughts as he muttered:
“If he filmed a project like this, it would be a massive hit. Why is he on a break right now?”
Regardless, Choi Hwan, who now had an abundance of time, followed Yeon-rok around to his heart’s content without any interference. This meant he attended the Hwamyeong Cult almost every day. Every time Moon Gyeon-woo saw Choi Hwan, his expression grew worse. Facing Choi Hwan’s face all week, he spoke cuttingly.
“I didn’t know you were raising a dog, Yeon-rok.”
Choi Hwan didn’t even blink and snorted. Yeon-rok was a bit worried, but today he didn’t have the luxury to keep an eye on the two of them.
“I have to go somewhere for an hour or two. You two wait here in the meantime. Actually, would one of you like to go somewhere else? I don’t want you fighting for no reason.”
“Where are you going?”
Moon Gyeon-woo, who had been engaged in a silent war of nerves with Choi Hwan, asked with a frown.
“I heard there’s some kind of party here today. I was invited, so I’m going to drop by for a bit.”
He had no intention of taking the two along. Choi Hwan was a famous celebrity, so he would attract unnecessary attention, and Moon Gyeon-woo hated this place so much that he wouldn’t take a single step outside the confession room unless he was with Yeon-rok. Yeon-rok was being considerate in his own way. Of course, there was another reason.
“Who do the people here think they are, going to a party?”
“Is it even a party? Aren’t they just doing some weird religious ritual again?”
“You haven’t decided to believe in this pseudo-religion, have you?”
“Wouldn’t it be better if you didn’t go?”
Sure enough, the two of them actively opposed it. Of course, Yeon-rok knew very well why they were acting this way.
However, in Yeon-rok’s opinion, this place wasn’t such a closed-off society. It wasn’t for nothing that he had become particularly close with the people here. He wanted to know the true identity of this place called the Hwamyeong Cult, where Yeom Cheon-ho reigned as the Cult Leader.